First Glance – May 2010
By Canadian Packaging Staff
General Bosch Packaging Technology Charles Downer & Co. CombiScale S+S Inspection Schneider Electric Southworth Products Bobst Group Videojet TechnologiesTo The Next Level
The new PalletPal mobile leveler manufactured by the Southworth Products Corp. and distributed in Canada by Trans-Quip Inc., is designed to enable workers to lift, transport, and position up to 3,000-pound loads—whether used for loading or unloading of pallets, picking orders, or for positioning materials at workbenches or production machines—with optimal user-friendliness and safety, according to the company. Designed to handle any type of pallet or skid, the PalletPal levelers—available in two basic configurations and with a broad choice of optional features—boast dual-wheel steering to provide unobstructed operator
view and optimal maneuverability, while eliminating repetitive bending, lifting, carrying and other physically stressful motions at a fraction of the cost of a driver-operated forklift truck.
Built For Speed
The new Altivar 312 variable-speed AC drive from Schneider Electric—designed to make industrial and commercial machines more energy-efficient, while simplifying its integration into a single control system architecture—is claimed to feature the highest over-torque and be the only drive with a remote graphic keypad in its class. Available in 1-10 HP horsepower range and up to 600 V, the Altivar 312 comes standard with integrated communication ports for Modbus and CANopen networks and optional cards for CANopen Daisy Chain, DeviceNet and Profibus DP, accord-ing to the company, along with autotuning, multi-loaders, and 50 pre-loaded application functions to manage common facility processes with vastly simplified set-up and installation. Boasting a user-friendly interface built into the drive to provide intuitive navigation and speed control with the dial—as well as local start/stop—the drive can withstand temperatures ranging from -10°C to 50°C without derating, while its integrated EMC (electro-magnetic compatibility) minimizes power disturbances and electrical interference.
Weight Gain
The new KWE 5000 and KWI 5000 checkweighers from Bosch Packaging Technology—distributed by Charles Downer & Co. Ltd.—are designed for efficient, high-accuracy weight and product-fill confirmation of pillow-bags, cartons and trays across a wide range of food and non-food packaging applications. The KWI 5000 model is offered as an integrated solution that easily interfaces with other Bosch packaging equipment to provide total control over the packaging line with one touchscreen, whereas the KWE 5000 model is designed as a stand-alone checkweighing solution that can be seamlessly integrated into existing packaging lines regardless of equipment make or model, with both checkweighers offering throughput speeds of up to 450 bags per minute when measuring weights of up to 20 kilograms—achieving accuracy within 0.1-gram.
Advertisement
